Keane plays waiting game

Roy Keane could make a flurry of transfer breakthroughs at Sunderland within the next fortnight.

Chairman Niall Quinn has revealed he and his manager are having to remain patient as they close in on their top targets.

However, he is hoping Keane will have the bulk of his new-look squad in place by the time pre-season training begins on July 9.

He said: “It would be harmful to give you names of people we are closing in on - I would like to think that’s the phrase.

“I hope people understand we are selective and we have a golden set of rules, if you like, between Roy, the chief executive Peter (Walker) and myself.

“The character of the player, the background information we need and the deal itself; we are piecing it together piece by piece.

“We know our duties, we know we have to get players in, but I would like to think people would be proud and happy with the lot we end up with.

“I know people would like it sooner rather than later, but I think the next fortnight is important because we start back on July 9 and I am sure Roy would like to have the majority of his signings in by then.

“We would like to have a bit of movement in the next week, 10 days. I would be far happier and maybe it is time to really up the ante.”

The Black Cats have already landed Reading full-back Greg Halford and Aberdeen skipper Russell Anderson, and are awaiting a response from Preston striker David Nugent, with whom they held initial talks last Friday.

Wigan boss Chris Hutchings has revealed full-back Leighton Baines has told him he wants to stay at the JJB Stadium amid reports that Sunderland have had a £3m bid for the player rejected.

The Wearsiders have also been linked with a £5m swoop for West Brom pair Paul McShane and Paul Robinson, as well as Hearts keeper Craig Gordon, and while Quinn admits progress has been slow to date, he is hoping that will change within days.

Hundreds of fans turned out for the launch of the club’s new away kit last night despite grey skies and rain over the Stadium of Light.

Quinn, who achieved legendary status during his spell as a player with the club and has only enhanced that since spearheading the Drumaville consortium’s takeover, is acutely aware of the expectation he and Keane have fostered in the last 10 months.

He said: “That’s why we are here. Nobody is here because they think it’s somewhere easy to get to and we could lie back.

“The fatal mistake is for us to say now: ’Isn’t it great? We are in the Premiership’. The big thing for us now in all areas of the club is to say: ’Right, we are in it, but what we have to do now is we have to fight, we have to give no quarter and we have to be as well prepared as any football club is’.

“Coming in with fear is not our way of thinking. It’s a bit like oxygen: we need it, we want it and we have got to take as much of it as we can and be as greedy and selfish in wanting to do well in a way that perhaps will take people by surprise.

“I would love to see full houses here and see visiting players a little bit bewildered in the tunnel before matches to drive home what this club is all about.

“That would be a big sign that we were in a strong position, that you see players visibly worried about having to come and play at the Stadium of Light because of the pressures it brings.”